


Hatred's Lies

by Illiteracy_is_for_woozles



Series: Reality 'Verse [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, DC/Marvel crossover, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Repressed, Everyone Needs A Hug, Feels, Flash Thompson Needs a Hug, Flash Thompson is the Flash, Flash is a bully, Forgive Me, Forgiveness, Gen, Men Crying, POV Peter Parker, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Tears, but not for the reasons you might think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 02:11:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17479253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illiteracy_is_for_woozles/pseuds/Illiteracy_is_for_woozles
Summary: A superhero bearing the same name as Peter's bully becomes Peter's friend.One night, when they meet up for their usual chat, the two boys have a rather revealing conversation.





	Hatred's Lies

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Flash Thompson as the Flash ask](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/450632) by mmmmmmmmmchicken. 



> So @mmmmmmmmmchicken on tumblr sent @keep-a-bucket-full-of-stars an ask with an idea in it and I couldn’t help myself.  
> The only things you need to know are that Batman exists in this universe, Flash Thompson is DC’s Flash but still in New York, Peter and Flash (the hero) are friends, and I did not actually like Flash Thompson before I wrote this so, chicken person, you are now Victor Frankenstein and I am your Prometheus.

Spiderman landed on the roof of the office building.

The area was quiet and empty (for New York) and Karen had said that there wasn’t anything on the police scanners that required the aid of a superhero, so he had to admit that this Flash guy really knew the timing and place to set up a meeting.

Originally, when a new hero showed up with the same name as his school bully, Peter had been… reluctant to trust him, but the other boy was about his age and had less experience so he had tried his best to be a good ally. What was the point of being  _ called  _ the “friendly, neighborhood Spiderman” if you didn’t act like it?

“Hey, Web-Head!”

Spiderman, if he was anyone else without his spidey-sense, would’ve jumped out of his skin at the sudden appearance of the fire-engine shaded hero.

“Right on time as usual.”

Flash shrugged, smirking.

Both boys sat on the edge of the building, taking in the view of their city.

“Anything interesting happen tonight?”

The web-slinger shrugged.

“The usual muggers, but nothing really bad.” He smiled under the mask. “It was nice having a peaceful night for once.”

The other boy snorted obnoxiously.

“Come on, man. We’re superheroes.” He laid back with his hands folded behind his head. “Too many slow nights and we become irrelevant.”

Peter frowned, his goggles adjusting with a whir.

“We’re not just here to beat up bad guys.”

“What else is there?” His voice sounded sad.

Peter thought a moment, taking a deep breath before speaking.

“We show the weak that there is someone looking out for them and the strong that they don’t have to be bullies.”

Flash tensed, almost imperceptibly.

“What about the weak ones who think they’re better than everyone else?”

Peter kicked his legs, drumming against the brick.

“Why do you ask?”

Flash sat up quickly; not with his superspeed, but too fast for him to not be upset.

Peter watched as he chewed his lower lip nervously.

“Okay, it’s like this,” he finally began. “There’s this kid at my school. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else and he’s always making me look like an idiot and he  _ somehow  _ got this internship for one of the richest, most brilliant people in the  _ world _ from sheer luck or maybe it was out of pity?”

Peter put a hand on his friend’s arm to ground him. Flash deflated, tears sliding down his cheeks.

“I had to get my ‘ _ internship, _ ’” He used air-quotes around the word. “By almost dying and nearly getting arrested when I broke into the only lab in the country that had the equipment to keep me alive.”

Peter jolted.

“You what?” He knew his voice came out in a whispered squeak, but he couldn’t make it any louder.

“Oh, yeah. My cells were flying apart.” The speedster wiped at his face and sniffed. “Lab accident over the summer. I went to Gotham, you know about Wayne Enterprises? They had something that could help and I had no choice but to try and take it.”

“ _ Flash. _ ”

The other boy waved off his concern.

“Batman actually found me and saw me when I was, uh,  _ glitching _ ; took me in and trained me.” He gave a dry, self-deprecating laugh. “And unlike the kid at school, I can’t even tell anybody that I  _ have  _ an internship.”

Peter opened his mouth to speak, but he really wasn’t sure what to say.

“I think you’re pretty cool.”

The other boy glanced over.

“I think that, if the other kids at your school have taken the time to get to know you, they’ve seen it, too.”

Flash rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, I don’t think you’d recognize the person I am at school.”

Peter frowned, but didn’t comment. Instead, he let them lapse into silence as a police siren sang out through the night. (Karen reported it wasn’t necessary to interfere)

Flash brought a hand to his cowl and began to lift it up. Peter’s hands went flying and dragged it back down with his eyes screwed shut.

“Dude, what the heck?”

“Sorry, sorry.” Peter pulled his hands away but slapped them back on top of Flash’s when he returned them to his mask. “I’m just kinda paranoid about the whole secret identity thing and- I- You know?”

Flash huffed a laugh.

“It’s fine, Spidey. You don’t have to take off your mask, but I’ve been crying like a baby and dry tears are itchy under a kevlar mask so I’d really like to get this off.”

Peter took his hands away.

“Besides, you’ve heard everything else about my life anyway. Might as well get my name, too.”

Flash’s cowl came off to reveal…

Flash.

Flash from school.

The bully. The kid who haunted Peter’s nightmares.

Peter couldn’t hear his “friend’s” words as he stood and began pacing the roof, but his voice penetrated the fog that had descended.

_ Breathe, Peter _ . That little voice in his head that sounded like Uncle Ben.  _ Sometimes pain makes people do things that even they don’t understand. _

Peter stopped and breathed deeply through his nose. When he spoke, he made sure his voice was even and calm.

“You talked about the kid at school.”

Flash nodded. He had stood at some point and was looking sheepish and uncomfortable. Peter squashed down the dark joy at that.

“I have one question and then I’ll leave it alone.” He closed his eyes. “Have you ever bullied him?”

Flash looked to his feet and swallowed.

“I told you you wouldn’t recognize me at school.”

Peter sighed and looked to the skies. You couldn’t really see the stars here, but he knew they were up there somewhere.

“I know I shouldn’t and I know it’s wrong.” Flash slumped to the ground, leaning against an air conditioning unit. “It just quiets my own head for a little while, ya know?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Peter sat next to him, crossing his legs and removing his own mask. “Just don’t do it anymore, alright?” 

**Author's Note:**

> I am working on a part two, because I have to know what happens the next day at school myself and I can already picture Flash's face and the fallout for this so that will probably show up sooner rather than later.


End file.
